My favorite store - Gay S

When I visit the Quimper area one of my favourite places to visit is Le Minor in Pont l’Abbe. This business was founded in 1936 by Madame Le Minor; initially the workshops were employed dressing dolls but the advent of WW2 meant that celluloid for doll making was in short supply. In order to keep the workshop going they began to take the traditional embroidery motifs of Breton costumes and use them on household linens and clothing as well as on specially commissioned works.
Just after the end of WW2 Pierre Toulhoat designed a head scarf for the store, the associations with Toulhoat continued and associations with other artists flourished too.

This means that for anyone interested in Breton heritage and culture the store is on the 'must visit' list. My excursions to this store usually end with a purchase of either a piece of Toulhoat designed jewellery ( Pierre Toulhoat worked in several different mediums, faience with Keraluc, fabrics with Le Minor and glass with Daum)



or a plate designed by Pierre Toulhoat’s daughter: Marie:











I’m particular fond of her fish designs as I collect faience fish, (the plate with my astrological symbol, Pisces, was my gift from the Club for organising the Bath meeting ) however Marie Toulhoat also designed a range a range of plates decorated with birds –I’m pretty tempted with these as we are having a small extension built which overlooks the garden, and I think they would look good there.

Sadly Marie Toulhoat has not produced any plates for a little while, but recently she started a blog; Pink Flying Fish, that displays some of her fish and bird plates as well as other art work. Do take a look!